When a person gives her life to Jesus, Jesus gives her a brand new identity as a “child of God.” Like any child, proper nourishment is needed for the child to grow into a healthy lifestyle. In the same way, a child of God needs proper spiritual nourishment to grow into her identity. Otherwise, poor and improper nourishment will result in a stale, unhealthy life as the child grows.

Only God provides the healthy, spiritual nourishment of His Holy Spirit for each child of His. To show God’s proper spiritual nourishment is the purpose of Growth In A New Life in Christ. Bob Bennett presents healthy, spiritual nourishment through the eyes of “Esther” and “The Vine And The Branches.” This is the challenge Bob presents to each child of God – to see right through the unhealthy nourishment and absorb themselves in the life of Jesus, God’s bread of life for humanity.

Bob provides a detailed study of these Bible stories, showing their importance to apply to each person’s everyday life. It is quite easy to miss the directions of the Holy Spirit for healthy nourishment. And unnecessary suffering usually follows. In this book, you will discover helpful, spiritual insight, especially from the story of Esther, to assist you to be more dependent on Jesus in your daily life. Bob shows the reader that God’s healthy nourishment is found in His Word, the Bible. For the Bible is God’s spoken word (of love) for all.

As a sequel to Bob’s previous book, Dead, Buried, And A New Life In Christ, you will discover Growth In A New Life In Christ very satisfying. Hear the voice of the Lord to come to Jesus for your nourishment.

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The Holy Spirit Grieved

King Ahasuerus can represent the born again Christian, for Mordecai (Holy Spirit) had adopted Esther (human spirit). Yet, King Ahasuerus (human soul) and Queen Esther (human spirit) were completely unaware of Haman’s (flesh) evil intentions. (In spite of them being unaware, Haman was also unaware that both Mordecai and Queen Esther were related through adoption.) We, Christians, claim and witness that Jesus is our Savior. Yet strutting around our palace and calling the shots is our Haman (flesh). We so easily turn a “blind eye” to sin. We see Esther (human spirit) completely oblivious to Haman (flesh) and his agenda to destroy her and her people. She shared the same table with him, greeted him daily, and passed him in the palace halls often. Yes, Haman knew quite well how to camouflage his disguise. (This is so typical of how the flesh disguises from us its evil intentions.) Haman would walk around the palace with his sweet smile, but underneath was the venom to lethally poison God’s children. This is an excellent and accurate description of the flesh’s intention for us. Our flesh masquerades its evil intentions from us, only to lethally poison us later as the Lord draws us closer to Him. Trust Haman at your own risk. You will certainly fail.

How could Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus find out the evil intentions of Haman? How can Haman’s plan be uncovered before it is carried out? How could God’s people be saved? The answer for Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus (and for us) is Mordecai the Holy Spirit – God Himself. Amen! Only Mordecai (the Holy Spirit) can reveal to us the true identity of our Haman (flesh). Only God knows the thoughts of all men. Only God knows the depths of evil from Haman. Fortunately, for us, God does not sit by idly watching His children suffer or perish unnecessarily. God unconditionally loves and accepts each child of His. And, like any loving parent, He watches over us to protect us from Haman. But, the Holy Spirit can only get our attention to draw us close to Him. Then, the evil motives of Haman will be revealed. The Holy Spirit can only reveal Haman and his evil intentions to us. The Holy Spirit will not force His will on us. Otherwise, it would not be love. The Holy Spirit directs; we must choose to see and recognize our Haman flesh and then crucify it on Calvary’s cross. Then, we can grow deeper and purer in the intimate love of Jesus. Outstanding!

This is exactly what begins to occur as Mordecai attempts to reveal to King Ahasuerus (through Queen Esther) the evil nature of Haman and his intentions to kill all the Jews, including his queen. King Ahasuerus is not even aware that the death order he signed to exterminate the Jews is intended for his queen also. This is how blind one becomes when trusting Haman. The Holy Spirit (through Mordecai) is now grieved and hurting at the current situation – the pending death of His people. And King Ahasuerus is totally oblivious to it. The Holy Spirit (Mordecai) must now take action into His own hands. Thank God He always does. Esther 4:1-3 “When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and CRIED WITH A LOUD AND BITTER CRY; and came even before the king’s gate: for none might enter into the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.”